I know, its early, and I know, Hockey's nto very big here, but we did one for the Super Bowl, and thats nothing more then ad porn really (and a half time show).
Anywho, its the second round, and each team has had a chance to show itself in a playoff setting, so the question is, who will win the cup? Or even just their conference?
Personally... I see Nashville winning the West, and the cup. They're a solid team, great goaltending, hard hitting defense, the special teams are decent, and the offensive forwards have really made their names. Detroit just seems old, and I think after San Jose, they'll be weak (so will San Jose after Detroit, but I have more faith in Detroit Winning). And Vancouver is mostly hype. The Sedins were practically invisible, Luongo fell apart, and just isnt a playoff goalie, and the team seemed to go into a free fall against a stripped and destroyed 8 seed Blackhawks who very nearly missed the playoffs.
For the East, it hurts to say it, but I think Washington has the best chance. Philly has problems in its goaltending they're going to definitely need to sort, and if Briere gets injured, they'll fall apart. They're going to play a Thomas backed Bruins and the Bruins wont let what happend last season happen again this season. The Caps faced a pathetically weak Rangers who had their number through the regular season. They'll face the Bolts, and thats a mostly playoff green team who got a good break when they had to face a stripped down Pens*.So I see it as Boston and Washington, and Boston will be so beat up from Philly (if they make through Philly) that they'll just be to little for the offense power of the Caps.
For the cup... I see Nashville. The Caps will be weakened and bruised from the Bruins, and Nashville will over power and out goalie the Caps.
So, escapist community, who will win Lord Stanleys beautiful silver Chalice?
*I know the Pens lost for more reasons then crosby and Malkin out. Fluery fell apart in a few games and their major scoring players in the regular season just couldnt produce. But the bolts did admittedly get lucky, because the PP was a major crutch, and would have been far better with 87 and 71
Anywho, its the second round, and each team has had a chance to show itself in a playoff setting, so the question is, who will win the cup? Or even just their conference?
Personally... I see Nashville winning the West, and the cup. They're a solid team, great goaltending, hard hitting defense, the special teams are decent, and the offensive forwards have really made their names. Detroit just seems old, and I think after San Jose, they'll be weak (so will San Jose after Detroit, but I have more faith in Detroit Winning). And Vancouver is mostly hype. The Sedins were practically invisible, Luongo fell apart, and just isnt a playoff goalie, and the team seemed to go into a free fall against a stripped and destroyed 8 seed Blackhawks who very nearly missed the playoffs.
For the East, it hurts to say it, but I think Washington has the best chance. Philly has problems in its goaltending they're going to definitely need to sort, and if Briere gets injured, they'll fall apart. They're going to play a Thomas backed Bruins and the Bruins wont let what happend last season happen again this season. The Caps faced a pathetically weak Rangers who had their number through the regular season. They'll face the Bolts, and thats a mostly playoff green team who got a good break when they had to face a stripped down Pens*.So I see it as Boston and Washington, and Boston will be so beat up from Philly (if they make through Philly) that they'll just be to little for the offense power of the Caps.
For the cup... I see Nashville. The Caps will be weakened and bruised from the Bruins, and Nashville will over power and out goalie the Caps.
So, escapist community, who will win Lord Stanleys beautiful silver Chalice?
*I know the Pens lost for more reasons then crosby and Malkin out. Fluery fell apart in a few games and their major scoring players in the regular season just couldnt produce. But the bolts did admittedly get lucky, because the PP was a major crutch, and would have been far better with 87 and 71
